Machines for manufacturing heat transfer units



Sept. 13, 1966 CARLSON ET AL 3,272,165

MACHINES FOR MANUFACTURING HEAT TRANSFER UNITS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 16, 1963 s R O T N E V N Richard E.Ccrlson 8| JohnE Sept. 13, 1966 CARLSON ET AL 3,272,165

MACHINES FOR MANUFACTURING HEAT TRANSFER UNITS Filed Dec. 16, 1963 5 Sheecs-Sheet 2 INVENTORS Richard E. Carlson 8 John E. Puulin ind/W 2 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 R. E. CARLSON ET MACHINES FOR MANUFACTURING HEAT TRANSFER UNITS Sept. 13, 1966 Filed Dec.

INVENTORS Richard E. Carlson 8 $6131:- 13, 1966 CARLSQN ETAL 3,272,165

MACHINES FOR MANUFACTURING HEAT TRANSFER UNITS Filed Dec. 16, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig .6. 54

68 INVENTORS Richard E. Carlson 8.

P 13, 1966 R. E. CARLSON ET AL 3,272,165

MACHINES FOR MANUFACTURING HEAT TRANSFER UNITS Filed Dec. 16, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.|3.

Fig .l2.

United States Patent 3,272,165 MACHHNES FOR MANUFACTURING HEAT TRANSFER UNITS Richard E. Carlson, Jamestown, and John E. Paulin, Elma,

N.Y., assignors to Blackstone Corporation, a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 331,002 12 Claims. (Cl. 1131) This invention relates to machines for manufacturing heat transfer units and particularly to machines for manufacturing radiator core elements. In the manufacture of radiator core elements it is the general practice to form a series of waterline members, to stufi? these members with a separator member forming the air passages and heat transfer elements of the core. A plurality of these waterline and separator elements are assembled together and soldered to make up a radiator core. The forming and stuffing of the waterline members have prior to the present invention been entirely separate and disconnected operations involving hand insertion of the separator into the waterline. This has been a time consuming and expensive operation.

We have invented a machine which makes a Waterline element from a continuous strip of formed metal and automatically inserts or stuffs a previously formed separator into the waterline element to make up a complete waterline separator member. While machines for the manufacure of the waterline element have heretofore been known they do not make a tight seal at the two free ends of the waterline strip as is done in our invention and they require a greater amount of waterline strip to form a comparable element.

In a preferred form of our invention we provide a feed for formed separator elements, a waterline strip feed, a rotating forming wheel having a plurality of work stations, a rotating stuffer wheel rotatable on an axis parallel to and spaced from the axis of the forming wheel, said stuffer wheel having a stuffing position coordinated with and adjacent to the last work station of the forming wheel, means delivering a measured portion of waterline strip to the forming wheel in its first work station, means at a second work station bending the measured portion of waterline strip adjacent its mid point back upon itself to form spaced side by side portions, a pre-crimped folding means adjacent a third work station folding the free ends of the folded waterline strip together, a final crimping means adjacent a fourth work station forcing the folded free ends into tightly orimped engagement, stufling means adjacent a fifth and last work station, said stuffing means transferring the waterline element from the forming wheel around the separator member on the stuffer wheel to form a complete waterline unit and discharge means on the stuffer wheel discharging the completed assembly when said wheel leaves the stuffer position. Preferably synchronizing drive means are provided to rotate the stutter wheel and the forming wheel at the proper relative rates of rotating.-

In the foregoing general description, we have set out certain objects, purposes and advantages of our invention. Other objects, purposes and advantages will be apparent from a consideration of the fol-lowing description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation partly broken away of a machine for making heat transfer units according to our invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation partly in section of the machine of FIGURE 1 viewed from the left of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a segmental section of the machine of FIGURE 1 showing in plan the folding or bending means Patented Sept. 13, 1966 ice at the second and fourth work stations of the forming wheel;

FIGURE 4 is a segmental section of the machine of FIGURE 1 showing, partly in section, the separator feed means and stuifer wheel;

FIGURE 5 is a section on the line VV of FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged plan view of the folding or bending means of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged side elevation of the folding jaws of the folding means of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is an end elevation of the bending means of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged side elevation of the folding jaws of the folding means of the third work station;

FIGURE 10 is a side elevation of the folded ends of a waterline element produced by the jaws of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is a side elevation of the feed means delivering separator elements to the stuffer wheel;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmentary plan view of a flipper mechanism for folding the waterline;

FIGURE 13 is a section on the line XIII-XIII of FIGURE 14; and

FIGURE 14 is a section on the line XIV-XIV of FIGURE 12.

Referring to the drawings, we have illustrated a frame 10 having a variable speed motor 11 driving a Ferguson sequencing drive unit 12 through sprocket 13. Simultaneously the motor 11 drives a right angle drive unit 14 and a cam shaft 15. The cam shaft 15 carries a multiplicity of sequencing earns 16 which actuate valve banks 17 and 18 on opposite sides of the cam shaft. The function of the valves 17 and 18 will be discussed hereafter.

An upper main shaft 19 is journaled in bearings 20 on frame 10 and driven by the Ferguson unit 12 through gear 21. A lower main shaft 22 is journaled on frame 10 in bearings 23 and is driven directly from the main drive of the Ferguson unit which drives gear 21 through main drive gear 24.

The upper main shaft 19 carries a pair of spiders 25 which may be adjustably positioned on the shaft. These spiders 25 are made up of radial arms 26 carrying clamps 27. The clamps 27 are opened and closed by means of oscillating cam member 28 which is given an Oscillatory motion by crank arm 29 and crank wheel 30 driven from cam shaft 15 by sprockets 31 and 32. The cam member 28 has a cam groove 33 which carries cam followers 34 on the end of crank arms 35. The opposite end of crank arms 35 is fixed to clamp shafts 36 which are journaled in openings in radial arms 26 and carry the clamp member 27.

The arms 26 are rotated through five work stations which are identified as 26a through 26c on FIGURE 2. A continuous waterline strip preform made by any of the well known waterline crimping machines is delivered through a trough 37 into a delivery guide tunnel 38 to a measuring feed wheel 39 which is driven by sprocket 40 from camshaft 15 by sprocket 41 and chain 42. The measuring feed wheel 39 feeds a waterline strip onto arms 26a where the free end is clamped onto arms 26a by clamps 27. When the clamps are closed a shear 43 actuated by air cylinder 44 cuts the strip to proper length, approximately twice the sum of the distance between the arms and the thickness of the arms. The air cylinder 44 is operated by one of the series of air valves 17 and 18 from one of the cams 16. While the shearing is taking place the shaft 45 carrying feed wheel 39 continues to rotate while the feed wheel 39 stands still and the rotation is accumulated in the wheel 39 by means of a spring connection between the wheel 39 and the shaft 45. This provides a length of Waterline more than twice the distance between the clamps so that a free end greater than the distance between the clamps extends over one arm. When the spider rotates this cut member to the position of arm 26b it wipes the free end across a bending roll 46 mounted in the housing which bends the free end around the arm which carries it so that it is 90 to the portion held between the clamps 27. Immediately upon reaching the second work position indicated by 2612 a pair of folding jaws 47 and 48- are closed over the portion bent around the arm by means of the advancing plunger 49 whose cam surfaces 50 engages cam follower rollers 51 on jaws 47 and 48 (see FIGURE 7). This jaw operating structure is mounted on spaced guide rods a extending through the housing. At the same time an anvil 52 is advanced into engagement with the notch 53 in the end of arms 26 by means of air cylinder 54. This holds the arm against bending in the next operation which is the forging of the bend in the waterline by the press head 55 on plunger 49. The plunger 49 is actuated by air cylinder 56 on the frame. The air cylinders 54 and 56 are energized by valves from series 17 and 19 operated by cams 16. The arm next moves to position 26c.

Air cylinder 98 (FIGURE 12) suspended on guide rods 10b is caused to advance by valves from series 17 and 18 operated by earns 16. This causes slotted arm 99 to swing through a 90 arc. This motion is transmitted through shaft 100 to flapper arm 101. Flapper arm 101 contacts the free end of the waterline 150 and holds it tightly against arm 26. Here the free ends are engaged between jaws 58 and 59 which close upon the ends to form a fold as in FIGURE 10. The jaws are closed by a cam surface 60 on the end of piston 61 moving between cam follower rollers 62. The piston 61 is operated by an air cylinder 63 by means of one of the series of air valves 17 and 18 and cams 16. Immediately upon forming the fold shown in FIGURE 10 an end clamp 57 closes on the free end of the waterline and holds it against the opposite side of the arm from the portion held by clamp 27. The clamp operates on a spring loaded toggle 57a. The so crimped waterline assembly 150 is next moved to position 26d, the fourth work station, where the crimped ends are engaged between a set of jaws identical with 47 and 48 of the second work station and are forged flat in tight engagement by a press head identical with head 55 of piston 49. The piston is operated by an air cylinder 64 which is operated by one of the air valves 17 and 18 actuated by cam 16. The piston 49 and jaws 47-48 are slidably mounted on guide rods 100. At each of the third and fourth work stations an anvil 52 operating cylinder 54 is provided operating precisely as described in connection with portion 2612 (the second work position). When the forging operation is completed the arm carrying the waterline is moved to the position indicated as 266. During this movement, spring loaded toggle 57a contacts unlatching device 102 which lifts clamp 57 off of waterline.

While the waterline is being formed as described above, the separator element is formed and cut into appropriate lengths of any of the well-known forming means. The formed sections are placed on a feed belt 65 which delivers them to a stop member 66 in front of a guide block 67. The separator members 160 are forced through guide block 67 into a carrier member 68 by means of pusher head 69 carried by arm 70 and actuated by air cylinder 71. The air cylinder 71 is energized through one of the valves 17 and 18- and cam 16.

The carrier member 68 is carried on arms 72 radially spaced about and carried by the lower main drive shaft 22. The carrier member 68 is slidably mounted on arms 72 and is urged radially outwardly on the arms by springs 73. The arms 72 are sequentially rotated through six positions, three work stations and three idle. The separator member is received in the first work station 72a as described above. It moves to an idle station 7211 holding the separator in the carrier; the arms next move to the stufiing station 72c in which the arms 72 are directly aligned with arms 26 of the fifth work station of the wheel 25. At this point discharge arms and 81 connected together in parallel linkage are actuated by drive 14 acting through a crank wheel 82 and crank arm 83 on square shaft 84 carrying the lowermost arm 81. The upper arm 80 is provided with pusher pads 85, 86 and 87. These pads engage the formed waterline on arms 26 in position 262 (fifth working position) and push it off the arms 26 over the separator member as the arm 81 engages roller members 88 on carrier member 68 and push it along arms 72 against spring 73 until latches 89 engage roller members 90 on the carrier member to hold the carrier member retracted as shown in position 720 of FIGURE 2. At this point the waterline has been placed over the separator and the assembly rests on table 91. When the lower wheel moves to position 72d the latch 89 is released by roller ring 92 oscillating on shaft 22 by means of crank arm 93 connected to lever 94 on square shaft 84. The ring 92 carries a cam roller 95 which engages the beveled end 96 to rotate the latch 89 and release the carrier member. The released carrier member acting in concert with the centrifugal force of rotation pushes the stuffed waterline and separator off of table 91 into discharge chute 97 which carries the assembled waterline and separator out of the machine.

The assembly of side by side cams 16 and side by side air valves 17 and 18 is obvious to men skilled in the art and is not illustrated in detail. It is deemed sufficient to state that there is a cam lobe and air valve operated thereby for each air cylinder and each lobe is positioned to open the corresponding air valve sequentially to operate each of the air cylinders above described.

While we have illustrated and described a present preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that the invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a machine for making water-line separator members, a formed separator feed, a waterline strip feed, a rotating forming wheel having a plurality of spaced work stations, means delivering a measured portion of waterline strip to the forming wheel in its first work station, means at a second work station bending the measured portion of water-line strip adjacent its midpoint back upon itself to form side-by-side portions, a pre-crimp folding means adjacent a third work station folding the free ends of the bent waterline strip together, a final crimping means adjacent a fourth work station forcing the folded free ends into tightly crimped engagement, a rotating stuffer wheel rotatable on an axis parallel to and spaced from the axis of the forming wheel, said stutfer wheel having a receiving position receiving a formed separator member from the separator feed, a stuffer position in which the separator is held adjacent to the rotating forming wheel, stufiing means adjacent a fifth work station in which the stuffer wheel holds the separator member in the stuffer position adjacent the formed waterline, said stuffer means transferring the waterline element around the separator member to form a complete waterline unit, and a discharge position for said stuffer wheel in which the completed waterline unit is discharged from the machine.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means delivering a measured portion of waterline strip to the forming wheel includes a driven feed and measuring wheel, stop means for holding a measured length of strip and shear means cutting the measured strip.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the precrimp folding means includes jaws engaging the two free ends of the waterline strip, one of said jaws having a Z-shaped configuration receiving the other jaw to insert one free end of strip between the legs of the Z formed in the other free end.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stutfcr wheel has a rectangular carrier member receiving the separator member within it, said stuifer member being slidable on radial arms and normally urged away from the axis by resilient means and having latch means to hold the carrier member in retracted position at the stuffer position.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein a pair of parallel arms are journaled on a shaft parallel to the shaft of the stuffer wheel, one of said arms acting to force the carrier member to latched position and the other simultaneously carrying the waterline member from the forming wheel around the separator member.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 5 wherein cam means are provided on the st-uifer wheel shaft and actuated by the parallel arm shaft to release the carrier member after the stulfer wheel leaves the stuffer station.

7. A machine for making waterline separator assemblies for heat exchange units comprising a frame, a feed for formed separator elements on one side of said frame, a waterline strip feed in said frame, a rotating forming wheel on a shaft journaled in said frame, said forming wheel having a plurality of work stations, a rotating stuffer wheel rotatable on a shaft journaled in the frame parallel to the axis of the forming wheel, said stuifer wheel having a stuffing position coordinated with and adjacent the last Work station of the forming wheel, means delivering a measured portion of waterline strip to the forming wheel at its first work station, means on the frame shearing said measured portion, means at a second work station bending the measured portion of waterline strip adjacent its midpoint back upon itself to form spaced side-by-side portions, a pre-cri mp folding means on the frame adjacent a third work station folding the free ends of the folded waterline strip together, one within the other, a final crimping means on the frame adjacent a fourth work station forcing the folded free ends into tightly crimped engagement, stufiing means on the frame adjacent a fifth Work station, said stufiing means transferring the Waterline element from the forming wheel to a position surrounding the separator member on the stuifer wheel, discharge means on the stuffer wheel discharging the completed assembly from the stutfer wheel when the stuffer wheel leaves the staffer position and synchronous drive means driving said forming and stuffer wheels in coordinated relation.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 7 wherein the means at the second work station is a forming roller and a pair of cam operated jaws through which the waterline passes and press means closing said jaws on the Waterline member and thereafter immediately pressing said Waterline between the jaws against the forming wheel.

9. A machine as claimed in claim 8 wherein retractable anvil means engages the wheel behind the waterline to hold the wheel against deflection.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 7 wherein the stutfer wheel is made up of spaced pairs of radial arms, each pair of arms carrying a fixed table and a retractable carrier member, said carrier member being slidable on said arms and normally resiliently biased radially outwardly and latch means on said wheel engaging and holding said carrier member when said member is pressed radially inwardly.

11. A machine as claimed in claim 7 wherein the discharge means is a pair of parallel linkage arms, one acting on the carrier member to latch it into retracted position and the other simultaneously carrying the waterline element from the forming wheel to and around the separator element.

12. A machine as claimed in claim 7 wherein the forming wheel is provided with clamp means engaging said waterline on the wheel, and cam means on said wheel holding said clamp means closed through all work stations.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,102,573 12/1937 Przyborowski ll31 2,223,296 11/ 1940 Przyborowski 113-1 2,297,948 10/ 1942 Eisenhauer 113-1 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

R. J. HERBST, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR MAKING WATER-LINE SEPARATOR MEMBERS, A FORMED SEPARATOR FEED, A WATERLINE STRIP FEED, A ROTATING FORMING WHEEL HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED WORK STATIONS, MEANS DELIVERING A MEASURED PORTION OF WATERLINE STRIP TO THE FORMING WHEEL IN ITS FIRST WORK STATION, MEANS AT A SECOND WORK STATION BENDING THE MEASURED PORTION OF WATERLINE STRIP ADJACENT ITS MIDPOINT BACK UPON ITSELF TO FORM SIDE-BY-SIDE PORTIONS, A PRE-CRIMP FOLDING MEANS ADJACENT A THIRD WORK STATION FOLDING THE FREE ENDS OF THE BENT WATERLINE STRIP TOGETHER, A FINAL CRIMPING MEANS ADJACENT A FOURTH WORK STATION FORCING THE FOLDED FREE ENDS INTO TIGHTLY CRIMPED ENGAGEMENT, A ROTATING STUFFER WHEEL ROTATABLE ON AN AXIS PARALLEL TO AND SPACED FROM THE AXIS OF THE FORMING WHEEL, SAID STUFFER WHEEL HAVING A RECEIVING POSITION RECEIVING A FORMED SEPARATOR MEMBER FROM THE SEPARATOR FEED, A STUFFER POSITION IN WHICH THE SEPARATOR IS HELD ADJACENT TO THE ROTATING FORMING WHEEL, STUFFING MEANS ADJACENT A FIFTH WORK STATION IN WHICH THE STUFFER WHEEL HOLDS THE SEPARATOR MEMBER IN THE STUFFER POSITION ADJACENT THE FORMED WATERLINE, SAID STUFFER MEANS TRANSFERRING THE WATERLINE ELEMENT AROUND THE SEPARATOR MEMBER TO FORM A COMPLETE WATERLINE UNIT, AND A DISCHARGE POSITION FOR SAID STUFFER WHEEL IN WHICH THE COMPLETED WATERLINE UNIT IS DISCHARGED FROM THE MACHINE. 